BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — Bernalillo County commissioners are set to meet Tuesday to make up for meetings they should’ve already held for the county manager search.

This comes after the New Mexico Department of Justice ruled three county commissioners violated the Open Meetings Act.

Investigators say commissioners Eric Olivas, Adriann Barboa and Barbara Baca had private talks about the process in April, which is against the rules.

The public and commissioners Walt Benson and Steven Michael Quezada were left out of those talks.

The NMDOJ said the commission could fix this by hosting public meetings about what they discussed.

So, that’s what they’re going to do Tuesday.

The hybrid online and in-person public meeting begins at 3:30 p.m. There will be time for public comment about the county manager selection process.

In a joint statement, commissioners Quezada and Benson wrote, “This meeting will provide an opportunity to steady the leadership that guides county government… We look forward to the commissioners’ full disclosure of events that occurred in the selection of the County Manager Search Committee. And, with a public vote, we can continue with the selection of the next county manager.”

County commissioners are up against the clock. They have until the end of this month to make a decision. Or else, there won’t be a county manager. Current manager Julie Morgas Baca is retiring at the end of the month.